Rain, rain
by Nocturnal Shinobi
Summary: The rain won't let up and Sakura isn't expecting a visit from Naruto. But he gives her a pleasant surprise. Prequel to 'I Don't Deserve it'. Review please.


**This is just a fluffy oneshot. It has my favorite Naruto pairing ever, Naruto and Sakura. I am open to constructive criticism and words of encouragement. Some reviews even receive responses from me. If you haven't read my first story yet check it out. There's a mature and teen version of my first story. It takes place at one of Naruto's visits to Sakura. It's sorta like a prequel to 'I Don't Deserve It'.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. The characters and storyline belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. Konohagakure is experiencing one of its worst downpours in history. It was a total monsoon. The village hasn't let down in two days! No one in the village dared to exit their homes in fear of getting showered. But Haruno Sakura, however, had work to do. She sits at her counter resting her head on her palm. Her eyes half open. Her work days are usually busy but since no one is going outside, no one is getting hurt. Somehow, having no business at all seems to be worst than a busy day!

However, everyday she always looks forward to a visit from a certain blonde shinobi. His visits are the only thing that keeps her sane throughout the day. Naruto would always visit her even if it got him in trouble with work. She feels special by this knowing that she is more important to him than his job. Just three years ago Naruto revealed his identity as the yondaime hokage's son. This shocked everyone as much as it surprised Sakura. She never learned of the yondaime ever having a son, but there he is standing tall as a savior and a friend to all. But now he's the spitting image of his father. Tsunade even notes that his voice sounds strikingly similar to Minato's. Ever since the revealing of that he has girls from every village falling head over heels for him. The other med nins and even Shizune look at him with lustful eyes whenever he visits Sakura.

But with the weather today, she doesn't expect a visit today. Besides, he has work, too. Working as Shishou's secondary assistant already doesn't give him time to visit her on normal days let alone a day with this much rain. She curses the rain for this reason. Yesterday, Naruto wasn't able to visit her, but she understands.

She always adored his visits. It assured her that he cares for her. Ever since the Shinobi World War her feeling for Naruto grew with every passing day. By the end of the war the seed of love that was planted in her heart started budding. She learned to love ever part of him. She never realized it before but she's been harboring that seed of love for him ever since she was sixteen years old. It just took a while for her to plant it and nurture it.

Her head continues to rest on her hand. Some of the other med nins are trying to find ways to pass the time. Some even braved the rain and left to go home. Sakura could barely keep her heavy eyelids open. She dozes off into a very deep sleep.

All of a sudden she feels herself rocking side to side. Then when her sense of hearing returned to her she hears someone familiar calling her to get up. "Sakura-chan, wake up, please." She wakes up feeling a bit groggy. She opens her eyes but everything looks like a blur. When she gets her vision to focus she sees that it's Naruto. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of him. "Wakey, wakey, Sakura-chan." He raises his hand which holds a paper bag. "I got us lunch." He's soaked from head to toe.

She rubs her eyes then looks at him. "Naruto, you should have used an umbrella. You could get sick." She feels worried for Naruto. But something in the back of her heart knows that fools don't catch colds and the Namikaze was no exception.

He just chuckles. "Please don't worry about me. Now come on. I know you never pack your lunch. I got you yakisoba."

She raises an eyebrow. "Yakisoba? Knowing you, I would've thought that you'd get ramen."

Naruto pulls up another bag. "I got _you_ yakisoba. But _I__'m _eating ramen. Besides, it's my lunch break. I thought we could eat together."

Sakura's heart flutters like wingbeats. There's no way she would miss out on an opportunity to have a meal with Naruto. Sakura doesn't notice it but the other female nins are furious with jealousy.

Sakura leads him to the lunch room in the hospital. Naruto pulls out her seat for her. They take their seats and open up their paper bags. Sakura notices that her lunch smells familiar. It smells like... ramen. She takes it out and notices that it _is_ ramen. She looks at Naruto and sees that he's just as confused as she is while he's holding the yakisoba. They quickly trade and accept what they got. Naruto opens his ramen and slurps up a mouthful of noodles like he always does and exhales. Sakura eats slowly and with more etiquette. As they eat they continue to hear the rain beating down against the roof. Naruto sighs, "I can't believe that the rain hasn't let up yet."

She wishes she knew what to say to him. But he's just not that young, ridiculous knucklehead anymore. Now that he became what he is, it's hard to even approach him without butterflies fluttering in your gut. She has to thank him for the lunch though. She muscles up the courage and looks him in the eye. "And I can't believe you came just to give me lunch. Not that I don't appreciate it, but I can't wrap my mind around why you would go through the cold and rain for me."

Naruto flashes a genuine smile and without mincing words he spoke. "I felt so bad yesterday for not visiting you. I just had to make it up to you. So I got you lunch too."

Sakura just adores Naruto's sweetness. She knows that he knows that doesn't even need to come visit her but he trekked his way just to be with her. Just another reason to adore him she guesses. She takes another generous bite of noodles. She swallows and exhales the heat out. "Well, I appreciate this a lot, Naruto. You've no idea how much I've needed this. Arigatou."

Naruto sets his now empty bowl down after chugging the broth. "It's no big deal. I figured you must've been hungry and bored. It's not that much better over at obaa-chan's place. I came to escape that house of horrors and to come to a place more tranquil. And to be with someone I _want_ to be with."

Sakura's heart skips a beat. Did he just say he wanted to be with me? Oh, thank you, Kami. There _is _hope for love after all! She thought that he would've fallen for another. But instead he adores her just as much as he always has.

"I love you, Naruto." she whispers.

Naruto widens his eyes. "What?"

Sakura gasps in surprise. She finds a way out. "I... I mean... uh... thank you, Naruto."

Naruto gives his one and only genuine smile. "Why, you're welcome, Sakura-chan."

How did that even escape her mouth in the first place? I know I want to let it out. As her love grows in her heart she is forced to make space for it. She takes another bite of the soba noodles which have gotten cool. She swallows and quickly finishes the rest. She wipes her lips with a napkin. "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't want you to leave so early. It's boring as hell without someone to keep you company."

Naruto gets out of his seat. "Yeah, I don't want to leave either." he says as he pops his vertebrate. "Obaa-chan is making work a living hell." He runs his hand though his hair. "But I have to go or kami-knows-what with happen."

Sakura's heart sinks to her stomach. She wants him to stay. And not just because the shift is boring. But all good things must come to an end. "I agree. Shishou might actually kill you this time."

Naruto forces out a chuckle. "Yeh, well, I better get going."

"See ya, baka." Sakura lets out another bright smile.

"Don't worry abou it. Heh, see ya, Sakura-chan." He exits the hospital without another word.

Hopefully the rain will let up soon. She wants his visits to be more dry.

...::::::::

Naruto returns to the Hokage Mansion. He receives the usual. A scolding from Tsunade for going out without permission then heads back to his desk where a pile of papers have been building a wall. Naruto sighs and accepts his work for once. He sits down continues where he left off from this morning. Shizune then walks in to drop off more papers. When she sees that Naruto's back see stops in her tracks and her face reddens. "N-N-Naruto-kun? You're back." she said trying to keep her composure.

Naruto looks at the pile she is holding with depression all over his face. "Those are for me, aren't they?" He wishes it wasn't.

Shizune sets them on the desk. "Unfortunately, for you, yes."

Naruto hangs his head down. "We need more assistants around here."

Shizune leaves the pile to Naruto. She couldn't agree more with him. This is too much work for the both of them. With that being said, she leaves Naruto to his work.

Naruto speeds though the papers. He skims each paper and stamps them accordingly. He make it his goal to finish half of the pile everyday. But the pile just gets bigger. "Why can't Baa-chan do some herself like she's supposed to?" he says to himself. He shrugs the feeling off and continues at a faster pace.

In no time at all he finishes his half of the day. But when he looks at the remaining half, the depressed feeling returns to him. But he has something more important to do so he shakes the feeling off again, grabs and envelope and heads outside.

As he steps outside something miraculous has happened. The rain had stopped. This was great. Now he can deliver his gift. He knows that Sakura is still at work but is almost time to close. He'd better move fast.

The ground is still moist and mud was all over. Looks like he's gonna have to go from rooftop to rooftop to get to her house. He doesn't want anyone to find out that someone went to Sakura's house by tracking muddy footprints. So he jumps onto the nearest rooftop and speeds off without any sound.

As he leaps from roof to roof he sees little children playing in the mud and puddles. Naruto is hit with a wave of nostalgia as he remembers his younger days as a kid playing in the mud. But the flashback is easily shaken off as he almost hits a tall tree. "Whoa!" he exclaims.

He turns back for he past Sakura's apartment. Before he sets his gift down where he wants to he makes sure that his feet aren't muddy. Eh, they'll be fine. He notices that her doorstep is perfectly dry. "Thank kami you bought the awning last summer."

He opens the envelope and checks his note one more time. "This is for you, Sakura-chan. You should do something for yourself." he whispers to himself. He closes the contents of the envelope, a coupon to a free trip to the hot springs and a note that reads 'You've been working hard, Sakura. Do something nice for yourself on you're break or free day.' He puts it back into the envelope then seals it and sets it at the foot of the door.

He turns around to walk away until he notices Sakura at a distance walking towards her home. He can recognize that pink hair anywhere. Beads of sweat come down as he panics. He sees a way out. He takes one enormous leap onto the rooftops once more and makes a beeline out of there.

When he looks back he smiles as he sees her pick up the envelope. "See ya tomorrow, Sakura-chan. Dattebayo!"

The End

**How'd ya like it? Please review and feel free to point out any mistakes I may have made. I also am in dire need of ideas for stories. I will do any romance story with Naruto pairings. However, couples I won't accept are Sasuke with Anyone, Naruto with Anyone except Sakura or Hinata, and any gay or lesbian couples. Review! 多謝!**


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